Irish dancing and the World, with help from his friends

With a little help from his friends — and maybe for his friends — Andrew Colletti plans to compete in the World Irish Dance Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, over nine days beginning March 28.

Colletti, 21, of Latham, will be dancing Saturday (2/20) at the Ancient Order of Hibernians hall, 1748 State St., Schenectady, trying to raise money for the trip and, depending how much he can raise, maybe for his dancing colleagues who are making the trip, too.

Colletti is a student at the Boland School of Irish Dance in Green Island. And two other students at the school, Sarah Jabour and Kelly Walsh, will also be competing in the World championships.

All three will dance Saturday along with other students from the school. From 2-9 p.m. at the AOH hall, there will be dances, food, bar, vendors, a pipe band, raffles and face painting, Colletti says.

He has been a serious student of Irish dancing for 10 years, ever since watching a PBS special about it.

“Once I saw that,” he says, “I just couldn’t let it go.”

He competed in the World championships last year when they were in Philadelphia but did not place, as he was dancing on a sprained ankle. This past Thanksgiving, he finished first in the senior men’s division at the Mid Atlantic Regional Oireachtas, and that qualified him for the World competition.

Sarah Jabour, Colletti and Kelly Walsh at the Mid-Atlantic competition

He lives at home with his mother, who works at the University at Albany, and Colletti is working at the Social Security disability department, saving all he can for the trip. He has also sent out nearly 300 letters inviting people to the fundraiser.

He’s hoping to raise about $2,500 for himself, his mother and for his female colleagues, who could some help getting to Glasgow as well, he says.